Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Preston Cobb is always looking to make a quick buck selling any kind of gun he can get his hands on, but when the denizens of the weird west get in the way, Preston's his own best customer. Now collected in one omnibus, join Preston as he faces an ancient evil in the snowy Sierra Nevadas in ABOMINABLE, finds romance and bloody mystery in Nevada mining country in SILVER MOON, and squares off with the undead south of the border in DEAD TO RITES. Finally, Cobb finds retirement more exciting than he'd like in an exclusive bonus short story: GUNRUNNER TO THE STARS.

The lock on the chapel
doors gave a long, ear-curdling screech and shattered. The doors burst open,
knocking the stacked pews aside. In a haze of dust, the undead appeared,
swarming through the opening, groans rising in triumph.

I turned the
hand-crank and fire spewed out of the barrel of the Gatling gun. I swept it
back and forth across the opening of the church doors. Skulls exploded, bodies
jerked and limbs separated as hundreds of bullets shredded through the mass.
The first rank of the ghouls disappeared in a pink haze and I kept firing at
the vague silhouettes behind them. Bullet casings rained down on the adobe
floor and I cursed and shook my leg as a smoking cartridge landed in my shoe.

Over the thunder of
the gun firing round after round, Sister Cardona asked, “Emilio Vega and Ana
Lucia Ana Lucia, have you come here freely and without reservation to give
yourselves to each other in marriage? Will you love and honor-”

“Get to the I-Do's!” I
yelled, turning the crank faster while the undead shambled over their fallen
brethren. The Gatling cut through the undead like a sawmill through a log, but
there was a whole forest of corpses shambling through the double doors. Sister
Ruiz and SisterYbarraloaded as fast as possible, but the
gun began to sputter when the feeds ran dry. The undead spread out from the
edge of the door and I turned the gun in wider arcs.

“Do you Emilio Vega,
take Ana Lucia Ana Lucia to be your wife? Do you promise to be true-”

“Faster!” I yelled.
The nuns fired their shotguns at the ghouls I was missing. SisterPurificaciónsat with her back against one wall of
the church, firing her rifle again and again. She shot a corpse through the eye
and it fell onto her shattered legs. She screamed.

Nick Carcano spent his childhood pulling cactus out of his feet and listening to coyotes howl in the California high desert. He speaks rusty Mandarin and Spanish. When he's not writing his day job involves literally saving the world, which sometimes involves shooting zombies, but usually involves a lot of e-mail. If you like dim sum, RPGs, sci-fi, or corgis, you should be his friend. He’s currently working on The Big Weird One a series of sci-fi/horror short stories set during WWII and will release his first novel, Boom: A Wild West Heist, in fall 2015.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

His body was found slain in his room, only months after his son had been brutally murdered. Skylar Mandolyn, his daughter, has now become the last heir to inherit the throne. But instead of becoming Queen, she has been imprisoned for helping in the escape of Sir Harlin Brien, her knight who was framed for the King’s murder.

Confined to darkness, Skylar's captors have given her no choice but to yield to a new kind of enemy: a kingdom that has advanced in both technology and warfare. It's when she refuses that the prison uses its other means of persuasion, and although unmerciful, the whip lashings and isolation can't suppress the memories of her family's downfall. Pulled between her subconscious and reality, Skylar already knows who the true enemy is, because even the darkness can't hide the deceptive hands that have destroyed them all.

With two kingdoms on the brink of war, Skylar's only hope is in the person who has gone missing—Harlin, the knight who was sworn to protect her. The memory of him surrounds her when the darkness screams louder than the prisoners, and when Death smiles a faceless grin in between the cracks of the stone. While the tremors start to rise from the deep, crawling up through the prison's walls, Skylar doesn't realize that she will soon see why he's one of the Benighted.

The screaming that woke her was not a natural scream. It was
a scream with a thousand voices, all bellowing forward, all in their own
misery. They rose up in the dark, scraping their cold nails against the prison
walls, forcing her to open her eye to know that it was real. But when she did,
all she found was her mouth quivering and her throat hoarse from the agony that
had been all her own.

There was a bright glow flickering at the corners of her
vision, and she found that against the wall across from her was a golden shadow
casted by a candle in a glass lamp. She felt something light fall across part
of her back, and felt the last whimpers of a scream fade out into the air.

"Forgive me, Your Highness," the Physician's voice
broke in, soft and full of pity. "It's the only way I can help you."

She felt his warm hand touch her forehead, then her temple.
When he moved his hand away, all she saw was the candlelight in the lamp, not
knowing that the Physician had moved to grab the small cup they had given to
her for water. Looking about him, the Physician secretly mixed some of the
Thymelock salve into the water. "You've been having intense dreams,"
he commented as he worked, trying to sound as matter-of-fact as possible.
"Intense pain creates them. Dreams become demons. Memories become
monsters."

Skylar could only lay still, her lip quivering from the
anguish.

"Drink this," he murmured closer to her now,
lightly rolling her over just enough to lift her head.

Skylar moaned when he moved her, but as she felt the rim of
the cup against her bottom lip, the cool liquid slipping into her mouth, her
body automatically embraced it. She gulped the liquid, feeling it as it washed
down her throat and hit her bare stomach. The cup was removed, and the moment
her head rested back on the straw, the chemicals from the Thymelock had
consumed her.

The numbness was like nothing she had ever felt
before. It was paralyzing and relaxing, melting the tension in her body and
warming it from the cold. But in the peace that held her down, something in the
corner of her mind stirred. Skylar looked out past the candlelight's edge, and
out from the darkness she saw the memory coming, moving on hands and knees,
dragging itself across the stone floor towards her. There was no hesitation when, in
all its torment, it reached out and grabbed her.

A. M. Dunnewin inherited her love for mysteries and thrillers from her family, which motivated her to pursue a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice. Although her stories cover a wide range of genres, she primarily writes historical fiction and thrillers. An avid reader at heart, she's also a passionate collector of both antique books and graphic novels, and has been known to search for stories in the most random places. She lives in Sacramento, California.

Haunted by a traumatic incident in his past, Alan Christiansen desperately wants to learn how to dance. After several failed attempts, he stumbles onto Choreographed Ballroom Dance (Round Dance), and begins to make progress. His instructors, Ray and Shelly Tenrio, are famous in the Round Dance world, popular choreographers and featured teachers on the festival circuit. Once married, they are now divorced, but Ray seeks a reconciliation. Shelly's world is turned upside down when one of her nephews is diagnosed with a rare case of thyroid cancer. As his parents fly around the country searching for answers, it falls to Shelly to care for his twin brother. Uncomfortable with children in general and boys in particular, she turns to Alan for help. Thrown together with the sort of man she used to disparage, she discovers hitherto unsuspected talents and depth in Alan, and unsuspected and somewhat unwelcome feelings in herself. In the end, Shelly must choose between the sort of life she's always known with Ray and a life she's only glimpsed with Alan. Along the way, we learn about round dance, romance, thyroid cancer, Silicon Valley startups, the wit and wisdom of Bill Watterson, and what sort of vegetable goes best with tuna-chip casserole

This novel was extremely interesting to me in the plot having to do with Round Dancing. My grandparents have danced my whole life and its was very fun to read about. There is some romance but it really is lite and about the dancing which I enjoyed immensely.

Paul and Jean Zimmer are first time authors. “The Bicycle Waltz” began with casual remark by Jean that it would be great if somebody were to write a book featuring their favorite pastime, Choreographed Ballroom Dance (Round Dance). That is, somebody else should write such a book.

But then a story began to form around a germ of an idea Paul had while watching some instructors at a dance festival. Pretty soon, the story had taken on a life of its own. Scenes played out across the kitchen table and the characters became like old friends, crying out to have their story told. Before they knew it, the book had practically written itself.

Paul is, by training, a computer chip designer. He has worked at several large companies, including Hewlett Packard and Cisco, as well as several start-ups, so he had the knowledge to describe this world to readers. He has written many award-winning technical papers, but these are (or are intended to be!) non-fiction. Writing fiction required something of a leap of faith.

Jean trained as a speech therapist, but left the working world to become a full-time mom when their twin sons were born. She is an avid reader, and she knows what makes a story flow. Her detail-oriented approach was the perfect balance to Paul’s impatience to get on with the story, and she thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to help craft a story herself.

In addition to their twin sons, the Zimmers have a daughter. It is her thyroid cancer story that Matthew lives in “The Bicycle Waltz”.

The Zimmers have traveled far and wide, and lived in Germany and England. They currently live in Roseville, CA, near Sacramento, where they are active in the local Round Dance community.

Monday, April 27, 2015

USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR Dakota Madison and Sierra Avalon team up to bring readers a new breed of antiheroes…THE NINES.

Vengeance is mine not the Lord’s. It’s what I breathe for. It’s what I’m still living for. I live for the moment when I will literally have his eye for mine. It’s been two years. Two long and difficult years, but my plan is nearly complete. When I’m not in a hospital having doctors try to repair my ravaged body I spend my time on the computer, doing hacking jobs for large corporations and governments who don’t want to get their hands dirty or be associated with a job if things go sideways. But they don’t have any reason to worry. I’m meticulous, so I’ll never get caught. Just one thing stands in my way: The mysterious young woman without a past who desperately wants to be part of my future. I just need to figure out why…

THE NINES is an ongoing romantic suspense series. Each book can be read as a STAND ALONE NOVEL or as PART OF THE SERIES.

Review

Dark themes and a lot of suspense but very well executed. Not for the faint of heart as it does deal with a dark issue.

There are plenty of twists along the way that will keep the reader on their toes. The suspense aspect was very well done.

The romance was a great touch and helps to lighten the mood in many areas.

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Mueller Bryson writes romance novels under four pen names: Dakota Madison, Savannah Young, Sierra Avalon and Ren Monterrey. She lives in a small town outside of Phoenix, AZ with her husband and their bloodhounds.

Shelby Nichols isn’t your average soccer-mom turned private investigator. She’s more on the quirky side with a little wild thrown in. That’s because a near-fatal gunshot wound to the head left her with the ability to read minds. This lands her in all kinds of trouble, and this time is no exception. Helping a reporter, Billie Jo, get the low-down on a case is just the tip of the iceberg. When her best friend’s niece goes missing, Shelby is pulled into a conspiracy that involves the police and the leader of a violent drug ring. Add to that a stranger in town with ties to the mob-boss she works for, along with a known assassin out to kill him, and Shelby is crossing danger at every turn. Will she find the answers in time? Or will this be her last adventure?

EXCERPT

I stood inside the small women’s locker room dressed in white drawstring pants that ended several inches above my ankles, and a robe-like top that crisscrossed to close in front. Luckily, I wore a black tank top underneath, since there wasn’t anything besides a white belt to hold it together.
I tied the belt in a knot and let out a breath, hoping I’d done it right. The white training uniform was a bit stiff, and worse, felt like a poufy marshmallow around me. I let out a disgusted huff, knowing that I looked like the womanly version of the Pillsbury dough-boy.
Billie Jo waited just outside the door, but it was hard to step out there dressed like this. Did I really need to do this? Especially since I’d know what everyone was thinking about me? Reading minds often came in handy, but not in situations like this.
Of course, the fact that a serial killer had recently taken me hostage and nearly killed me certainly helped. It was time to learn some self-defense, so nothing like that could ever happen to me again.
So what if I looked silly, and that with my ‘superpower’ of reading minds I’d know what everyone thought of me. I could take it. Besides, I had to start somewhere, right?
I took a calming breath and opened the door.
Billie smiled encouragingly before glancing down at the way I’d tied my belt. Her brows drew sharply together, and she was thinking it looked like a disaster. No way did she want me out on the mat looking like that. “Here…let me help you with that. Tie it this way…” She demonstrated how to do it, then pulled it tight. “Okay. Now you’re good to go.”
“Um…thanks,” I said.
She didn’t miss the embarrassed flush creeping up my neck and was thinking I should just suck it up and be grateful she was there to keep me from looking like a dork. With an indulgent smile that contradicted her thoughts, she turned and led the way to the mat.
Swallowing my pride, I followed behind, noting that her black skirt-like pants with the waist-high belt looked ten times better than my outfit. Compared to her, I looked like I was still in my underwear and had forgotten to put my pants on.
A vision of getting out there and everyone laughing at me crossed my mind but, given how Billie made sure my belt was right, I didn’t think she’d let me embarrass her like that. Still, once we got to the mat, I let out a relieved breath to find I wasn’t the only one wearing white training pants.
Billie did a quick bow before stepping onto the mat, so I bowed as well. I followed her to stand in a line before the teacher, or Sensei, as everyone called him. He wore the same black pants as Billie but, on him, they seemed more dignified and masterful. He was also a big, tall and brawny kind of guy. With his long, gray-black hair pulled back into a ponytail, he intimidated the crap out of me.
He caught my gaze and nodded a cool greeting while I tried to hide my jittering nerves. After he introduced me to the rest of the class, we began with a few stretches and warm-ups. Then he taught us that the most important part of Aikido was learning how to fall safely and then roll around to get back up.
Besides Billie, there was only one other woman in the class. Her name was Melissa, and she was a second-degree black belt like Billie. With the two of them paying special attention to me, I began to relax and actually started to enjoy myself. Even the rolling-around part didn’t seem so bad. They showed me some basic techniques, and my confidence grew.
Near the end of class, Sensei asked if I had any questions, so I blurted out the one thing I’d been thinking about all night. “Yeah. I was just wondering…if someone was to get me in a choke hold with his elbow around my neck and started dragging me backwards, would I be able to get away?”
His gaze caught mine, and his eyes narrowed. He was thinking that, from the fear in my eyes and the tone of my voice, it probably wasn’t a rhetorical question. No. I had the look of someone who’d been there, and a spike of anger rushed over him. He’d seen it more times than he liked, and it always made him furious.
“Yes you can. I’ll show you how.” He turned his gaze to Melissa and asked her to help him demonstrate the technique. Since she was about my size, and he was huge, I was interested to see how she could possibly take him on and come out on top.
He stood behind her and clamped his elbow around her neck beneath her chin. “The first thing you do is tuck your chin down so they can’t choke you.” She did this, and Sensei proceeded to explain how she needed to pull down on his elbow and step back, then grab his wrist and forcefully push outward with his elbow still bent. “At this point, you will break his arm.”
Whoa! That sounded pretty awesome, and I couldn’t help smiling with wicked delight. He demonstrated the technique a few more times, adding different variations to the attack, and then asked me to practice with him. Him! The biggest guy in the class!
I nervously licked my lips and, as he put his arm around my neck, that feeling of helplessness washed over me. But he patiently talked me through the moves and, after breaking his hold a few times, confidence replaced my fear. I even forced him to the mat once. Who would have thought? By the end of class, I was pumped. This was the right place for me, and I could hardly wait to come back and learn more.

About the Author

As the author of the Shelby Nichols Adventure Series, Colleen is often asked if Shelby Nichols is her alter-ego. "Definitely," she says. "Shelby is the epitome of everything I wish I dared to be." Known for her laugh since she was a kid, Colleen has always tried to find the humor in every situation and continues to enjoy writing about Shelby's adventures. "I love getting Shelby into trouble...I just don't always know how to get her out of it!" Colleen lives in the Rocky Mountains with her family. Besides writing, she loves a good book, biking, hiking, and playing board and card games with family and friends. She loves to connect with readers and admits that fans of the series keep her writing.

Saturday, April 25, 2015

Can she betray the Gypsy clan who saved her for the love of a stranger?

Martine Petrulengo is stifled by the traditions of her adopted Gypsy clan. They gave her new life when she was left all alone. And now she is expected to marry in order to forge clan allegiances. When she nurses handsome and charming Lord Declan Forrester back to health, she is lured by the seductive idea of life outside of the clan—and the prospect of love with the Irishman.

Can he prove his innocence in order to claim his Gypsy?
Lord Declan Forrester trades prison bars for a loveless marriage in order to save his soul. And now he’s trying to prove his innocence not only as a traitor, but that of his wife’s murder. When the lovely and beguiling Martine saves him, he falls in love for the first time. Yet, the obstacles of his past seem insurmountable.

Martine and Declan must fight tradition, prejudice and the haunting ghosts of their past in order to fight for their love and ensure their future.

EXCERPT

A rider urged his horse forward. He wore a leather doublet of a quality she’d never seen. The black hide was pierced with metal and thick stitching formed elaborate Celtic designs. Regal and rich. His breeches hugged his thighs so closely ’twas indecent, but that didn’t stop her gaze from venturing along the hard expanse of his legs. Heat crept up her neck and flushed her face like a flame.

He tipped his head in her brother’s direction. Martine gasped.

The stranger from the glen.

“We’ve business,” was all he said.

Rafe nodded, but didn’t twitch a muscle. Martine wanted to run from the confrontation, hide in her grandmother’s berth safe from the bewitching blue eyes of the intruder. But her feet stayed rooted to the ground.

Och, this man was handsome. Strong jaw, brilliant eyes, and a broad mouth composed a man so striking. His face was a composite of hard planes of granite that matched the intense glare of his eyes.

The man sighed and his comrades inched closer to his side. They dressed as he did, except their clothing lacked the obvious quality she could see stitched in the leather of his.

“The villagers are concerned with your presence, Gypsy.”

She could feel the tension in the tight line of her brother’s shoulders, taste the anger in the air that hummed about him and the stranger. His jaw clenched and he remained silent.

“I’ve come to ask you to leave. Gypsies bring foul memories to Riverton.” His voice was rough, husky, as he commanded her brother.

Rafe stepped forward. She knew he wished to throttle the tactless man. “We’re Tinkers. Men and women with skills and trade.”

“And itchy fingers if Lady Bannon’s sheep have say of it,” the man behind the stranger spouted. The other men chortled and slapped the man on the back.

The stranger held up his hand and was rewarded with instant silence.

Her brother shrugged, a harmless action unless you were Rafe Petrulengo. “My clan has no need of other people’s sheep.”

Martine took a step forward.

The stranger’s head snapped in her direction.

He leaned forward in his saddle. “You’ll leave my land, or pay the consequences.” His tone brooked no room for argument.

“We’re people of the land, trainers of dogs, and masters of horses.”

Her brother’s words seemed to befuddle the stranger’s friends. They looked to one another, smirks creasing their faces. If only they knew her brother’s genius.

“I’m Lord Declan Forrester, Earl of Riverton,” the stranger pompously said. “This is my land—and you are to leave.”

Rafe bowed deep at the waist, his extended arm almost grazing the dirt before him. “As you wish.”

“Be gone by morning. ’Tis all the time I’ll give you.”

A shiver ran up her spine at the cold gruffness of his voice. He clucked his horse forward, a magnificent animal, well-muscled with a gleaming coat of black.

Martine was so aware of the lord’s presence, her skin tingled. And she knew without looking up that trouble was about to ensue. He stopped the horse before her and just sat. When her gaze met his, the lord nodded his head and gave a mocking salute.

She sighed, not knowing why she was reacting so unlike herself, why she was enthralled with the stranger.

With a nudge to his horse’s side, he was off without a backward glance at her or her brother.

One look at Rafe and she knew he’d witnessed what had transpired. Rage boiled in his dark eyes and tension pulsed his jaw. He tapped a pointy leather boot against the packed earth. The women of the clan weren’t to be appraised by Gajos. Especially a Gajo who’d ordered the Kapo to leave.

No matter, she thought with a smile of satisfaction. Lord Forrester had acknowledged her, and the realization swept through her with unparalleled warmth.

About the Author

Madelyn Hill has always loved the written word. From the time she could read and all through her school years, she'd sneak books into her textbooks during school. And she devoured books daily. At the age of 10 she proclaimed she wanted to be a writer. After being a "closet" writer for several years, she sent her manuscripts out there and is now published with Soul Mate Publishing. And she couldn't be happier! A resident of Western New York, she moved from one Rochester to another Rochester to be with the love of her life. They now have 3 children and keep busy cooking, watching their children's sporting events, and of course reading!

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Preston Cobb is always looking to make a quick buck selling any kind of gun he can get his hands on, but when the denizens of the weird west get in the way, Preston's his own best customer. Now collected in one omnibus, join Preston as he faces an ancient evil in the snowy Sierra Nevadas in ABOMINABLE, finds romance and bloody mystery in Nevada mining country in SILVER MOON, and squares off with the undead south of the border in DEAD TO RITES. Finally, Cobb finds retirement more exciting than he'd like in an exclusive bonus short story: GUNRUNNER TO THE STARS.

Short and well, not sweet. I liked that these each followed the same character, but were each different little adventures. He encounters a little bit of everything. I think the mix of Wild West with the Paranormal/Horror was definitely an interesting twist! I liked that the writer as able to put a lot of material in short stories. They didn't read as short stories and the collection really went well together to feel like a longer novel of Cobb's adventures.

Nick Carcano spent his childhood pulling cactus out of his feet and listening to coyotes howl in the California high desert. He speaks rusty Mandarin and Spanish. When he's not writing his day job involves literally saving the world, which sometimes involves shooting zombies, but usually involves a lot of e-mail. If you like dim sum, RPGs, sci-fi, or corgis, you should be his friend. He’s currently working on The Big Weird One a series of sci-fi/horror short stories set during WWII and will release his first novel, Boom: A Wild West Heist, in fall 2015.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

His body was found slain in his room, only months after his son had been brutally murdered. Skylar Mandolyn, his daughter, has now become the last heir to inherit the throne. But instead of becoming Queen, she has been imprisoned for helping in the escape of Sir Harlin Brien, her knight who was framed for the King’s murder.

Confined to darkness, Skylar's captors have given her no choice but to yield to a new kind of enemy: a kingdom that has advanced in both technology and warfare. It's when she refuses that the prison uses its other means of persuasion, and although unmerciful, the whip lashings and isolation can't suppress the memories of her family's downfall. Pulled between her subconscious and reality, Skylar already knows who the true enemy is, because even the darkness can't hide the deceptive hands that have destroyed them all.

With two kingdoms on the brink of war, Skylar's only hope is in the person who has gone missing—Harlin, the knight who was sworn to protect her. The memory of him surrounds her when the darkness screams louder than the prisoners, and when Death smiles a faceless grin in between the cracks of the stone. While the tremors start to rise from the deep, crawling up through the prison's walls, Skylar doesn't realize that she will soon see why he's one of the Benighted.

This was definitely more Fantasy than romance, but I think that the romance was definitely present and did well playing a backseat to the true heart of the story. A.M. Dunnewin has created an amazing lead female character. She is strong and sassy and really fun to read about. The main thing about this novel is that it is a first in a series and definitely does its job of drawing in the reader and making them want to follow the rest of the saga.

A. M. Dunnewin inherited her love for mysteries and thrillers from her family, which motivated her to pursue a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice. Although her stories cover a wide range of genres, she primarily writes historical fiction and thrillers. An avid reader at heart, she's also a passionate collector of both antique books and graphic novels, and has been known to search for stories in the most random places. She lives in Sacramento, California.

Friday, April 17, 2015

Dawn Delaney must forge ahead when her marriage crumbles. But for this formerly rich Mrs., entering the working world, and possibly dating again, makes her feel like a fish out of water.

Bradford Shaw has a soft spot for curvaceous Dawn from the moment he sees her. Brad senses she’s scared of a romantic relationship after all she’s been through. But he’s going to show her that after a dark period in one’s life, there’s always a new dawn.

EXCERPT

Chapter One

Two Years Earlier

“You’re wearing my favorite lingerie.”

Dawn Delaney cringed at her husband’s words. There was no awe in Gary’s voice. The words fled his lips as if he were reading the weather report.

She tried to fight the panic demanding to take over. She had to contain her emotions if she wanted to seduce her husband of over eighteen years. She wore an expensive white La Perla bra and panty set that framed her curvy shape nicely. Her skin glowed from a generous rubdown of mango and papaya body butter. Dawn could smell the vanilla fragrance she’d spritzed at key spots on her body. If Gary walked a bit closer, he’d be able to smell it too. But so far, Dawn’s efforts had no effect.

She wasn’t a size six, seven, or eight for that matter. And after years of marriage, Dawn wasn’t too keen on wearing the revealing lingerie when one of her regular nightshirts was more comfortable. Still, she made the effort.

Gary strolled over to the La-Z-Boy recliner in their bedroom and picked up the Clarks shoebox. He’d asked Dawn to buy the black leather shoes for him earlier that day. She’d called him while shopping at Pentagon City Mall. It’d save him the trouble of driving there later in the week. As usual, Dawn obliged his request.

She watched as he examined the Clarks, turning them upside down to take a look at the soles. New shoes held Gary’s interest more than their marriage—their old marriage.

Dawn stood waiting. She recoiled further because she knew she deserved better treatment from Gary despite being a stay-at-home mother and a housewife. But what was she to do? She wanted for nothing because of him.

She sighed and rested both hands on full hips. Another man would devour me right now, she thought. Dawn tried to squelch the desire she still had for Reginald. The fling with the contractor, though physically satisfying, only made her more confused about her marriage.

Dawn thought about the good times she and Gary’d had in the past. How he used to make love to her two and three times a day. She thought of the grand way he’d proposed to her and the utter feeling of bliss that had consumed her when she’d said yes. She thought of their daughter, Sherine, whose simple existence comforted Dawn. Gary and Dawn had raised a great kid together, who’d soon be off to college when summer ended.

They had to get their marriage back on track. It was one thing to miss Gary, who often travelled, while Sherine had lived at home. But Dawn couldn’t imagine being alone in the family’s spacious house with no one to talk to.

It was the memories of the good times that made her hang on.

She cleared her throat. Gary finally put down the shoes. He sighed and put his hands in the pockets of his Armani pants. His jacket wasn’t on. Dawn knew that it was downstairs, hanging on the back of a kitchen chair. Gary always took off his jacket and placed it on a chair as soon as he got home. It was a constant in an otherwise impulsive man.

“Why don’t you go take a quick shower and then let’s have some fun?” Dawn rested most of her weight on her right foot, tilted her head, and smiled seductively.

Gary exhaled and adjusted his tie. “I don’t think this is working for me anymore.”

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

True Love may cost a price, if the greater good preordains that you are the sacrifice.

There are always two sides to a story. Melanie Wilhelm's begins after she moves from Australia and starts her senior year at Cashmere High. On her first day, she bumps into a mysterious guy, and they form an instant connection. They become friends and he shares his deepest secret with her. As they grow closer, their relationship amplifies and becomes binding. Strange things occur, but instead of worrying, Melanie's feelings intensify.

The excitement of New Year's Eve approaches, and so does Jason's most devastating revelation of all. She learns his ultimate truth and is now spun into his chaotic web. The danger rises and hard choices must be made. By being with Jason, Melanie may have to sacrifice more than her heart. It may cost her life.

Melanie's Evanescent Journey ties into books one and two of The Sonar Trilogy. From spiraling twists to devastating plots, her journey will make you question fate and true love.

Is fate something you can control? Some believe it's in the hands of what you behold.

The main thing that stuck with me from this novel was the great balance between the love story and the action. It is a very fast paced story and that goes for pretty much every aspect. Its a whirlwind of a read and you wont want to put it down. I think its a great continuation and look forward to reading more.

EXCERPT

Thanksgiving break was over, and Jason had come by my house for another
study session. There hadn’t been any more weird occurrences at his house, but
we had decided to study here today. He had fallen asleep on the sofa, and he
looked so peaceful. I went in the kitchen, and then I heard him talking. I thought he had woken up, but when I
glanced back into the family room he was still sleep. Interesting. I didn’t
know he talked in his sleep. I smiled and walked over to the sofa. I sat next
to him as he still kept mumbling.

“Kadan…hit the autopilot before we are lost.”

What was he talking about? It sounded like a bunch of mumbo jumbo.
He jerked and flinched, but didn’t wake up.

“What do you mean?” he yelled.

I jumped, startled by the elevation of his voice.

“My mother! She’s been in an accident.”His face was
pained, and I wanted to wake him, but it was obvious he was having a dream from
his past. Did something happen to his mother? Maybe this was an important key
to the puzzle. Then he started talking in a language I couldn’t understand.

I had been studying different foreign languages since middle
school and the closest dialect to this language sounded similar to Arabic. Yet
the way it flowed was very different. His expression was one of terror. Memory
retrieval or not, I couldn’t stand to see him hurting anymore. I shook his
shoulder. “Jason, wake up!”

He bolted upright and squint his eyes, clearly confused. “Mel?”

“Yes, I’m here. You were having a nightmare.” He rubbed his
forehead.

“What happened in your dream? You said something about your
mother.”

He contemplated for a moment then shook his head. “I don’t
remember my mother. What did I say?”

“You said something happened to her, and you sounded scared. Try
to remember.”

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. After a few seconds, he
sighed. “My head hurts. I can’t remember anything I just dreamed about.”

“Jason, there’s something else. You spoke in a different
language.”

“What?”

“You spoke in another language. I’ve studied multiple foreign
languages over the last six years, but I am not sure what language it was.”

“Another language. That’s news to me.”

“Has this ever happened before?”

“Yes, we all have dreams. They are mostly vague. It’s mostly of
different surroundings. I have never seen a person in my dreams. But from what
you are telling me, maybe I am and just can’t remember what I dreamed. So maybe
it’s déjà vu. I definitely don’t know anything about another language. Ugh!
This is so frustrating,” he exclaimed, rubbing his temples.

“Let me get you something for your headache. And I’m sure it’s
hard, but try to be patient. The mind is a complex structure. No one really
understands how the concept of amnesia works. I feel in time you will remember
at least some things from your past.” I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing,
if his dream was any indication of what his past held. But he needed to find
out some facts from his past to have peace.

“Thank you,” he replied. I kissed him on his cheek. “And Mel, I am
really glad I met you. Being with you somehow makes going through this madness
easier.”

“I’m glad I met you too.”

I have wanted to be an author since I was fifteen years old and grateful to have accomplished this dream. I have three wonderful children and a husband who defines the person I am today. I work full-time as an Ultrasound technologist in Sugarland, Texas.

I have very vivid dreams and a wild imagination. I like to read, watch tons of TV shows, and movies. I’m addicted to romance and get a thrill out of action and suspense. I write New Adult Fantasy, Sci-fi, and Paranormal-Romance.

In the Sonar series it was fun to explore different elements of Sci-fi romance and create various realms of powers for my characters. I want to show my readers that Sci-fi can be fun, but also traumatic. I hope you guys enjoy the Sonar Series.

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